Sealing gland



Dec. ll, 1945. B. E. DEL MAR ETAL SEALING GLAND Filed Oct. 27, 1942 control surfaces ized condition.

' moving the controls Patented Dec. 11, 1945 SEALING GLAND Bruce E. Del Mar, West Los Angeles, and Edward E. Van Dyke,

Van Nuys, Calif Douglas Aircraft Company, Inc., Calif.

., assignors to Santa Monica,

Application )ctober 27, 1942, Serial No. 463,564 comms. (Giese-16) 'Ihis invention relates to a sealing gland of a type adaptable for use 'in pressurized aircraft wherein it is desirable to reciprocate control rods, cables and the like through an aperture in a wall separating a pressurized space from a non-pressurized area.

Because of problems which are encountered in maintaining pressures in an aircraft at values higher than ambient; flight pressures, it is generally considered advisable to pressurize only that portion or portions of an airplane in which the passengers and crew are carried. This leaves the lower andtail portions of the fuselage, the wings and the empennage to which the various are attached, in a non-pressur- It is therefore necessary to have controlling means interconnecting with the pilot's compartment, the engines and the control surfaces which allows a relatively free movement of these controls through the wall between the pressurized and non-pressurized with a minimum loss of pressure from the pressurized cabin.

When a control rod or cable, to which we will hereinafter refer as a control, is drawn through the gland portion of the usual type sealing gland it fitseither so loosely as to allow unnecessary freedom `of movement of the control or so tightly that freedom of movement of the control is greatly impaired by friction. Both of these conditions.

are objectionable. For example the loose llt `of sealing gland is accompanied by excessive leakage of air from the pressurized cabin. This leakage is dangerous since it places a greater burden on the supercharging equipment,

- in addition to endangering'the lives of the occupants of the supercharged cabin to the extent that, if for any reason the supercharger fails, the air under pressure will not remain in thecabin long enough to enable the pilot to return the air-v plane to lower levels where repairs can be made.

If friction between sealing means vand control means passing therethrough is excessive, the pilot of the necessity of expendlng too much'eiort in which should normally move freely and smoothly. In addition, the pilot will be faced with the possibility of the controls seizing in the gland when subjected to extremely low temperatures.

In order to eliminate the obiecticmable features in a sealing gland as recited hereinabove.l we have invented a sealing gland which is installed on the high pressure side at the rating the pressurized from the non-pressurized, 'Ifhigsealingglandlssoeonstructedthatitbae movement of the the tendency to become more airtight as the pressure against it increases land functions to dampen the vibrations of' the control in the seal itself. A lubricating means is also provided in the body of the sealing gland so that both freedom of movement of the control through the seal and the sealing qualities of the lubricant between the body of the gland and the controlare assured.

It is an object of this invention to provide a simple, easily constructed control seal for pressurized aircraft which will insure an airtight seal on a control passing through a wall separating a pressurized from a non-pressurized.

Another object yof thisinvention is to provide a seal which will become more airtight as the pressure against it increases.

Another object of this invention is to provide a means for lubricating the control where it passes through the seal so that friction is reduced and air tightness is improved.

Another' object of this invention is to provide a means for automatically centering the control in addition to producing a vibration dampener therefor.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a. means of regulating the flow of a lubricating fluid in the gland so that there is a constant fluid during reci-procation of the control.

Further objects and advantages of this invention will bebrought out in the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying y drawing and appended claims.

Referring now to the drawing: Figure 1 is a. perspective view of the sealing gland with a portion of the gland cut away to show the wiper and the oil pervious material.

-will have a. tendency to over control as a result fuselage wall sepa- Figure 2' is a sectional view taken through the centerline of the sealing gland showing the means for lubricating the control in its reciprocating movement through the body' of the sealing gland. As best shown in Figure 2 oi the drawing. the seal assembly le is installed on the pressurized side of a fuselage wall II. An opening I2 is provided in the wall Il to permit a control cable v I4 having a bearing sleeve II swaged thereon to be passed therethrough. Instead of being swaged on the cable, the bearing sleeve I5 may be fixed thereon in any other manner providing a fluid tight engagement between the sleeve and cable. Theseal itself is contained within a circular casone end thereof flat so that it will lie solidly against a gasket I8 which is interposed between 'the casing and the Wall Il and held theretoby and having Y f material having an opening through Y the sealing v4the pervious material. Thus relation therewith as .over the cable before` bolts I9. The gasket is provided with a thickened center portion 2B whichl portion lies entirely on one side thereof 'so that it extends into the casing I6. The thickened portion of the gasket is further provided with a bore 2l. Thisbore is tapered and provided with a plurality of` annular grooves 28. These grooves are formed for the receiving fluid from a pervious material 2l placed in the casing I6 between a wiper '34 of deformable 22 and the thickened portion of the gasket Il. The bore o f the gasket, the opening in the wiper, the opening in the casing and the opening in the wall are all coaxially aligned to form a straight through" bore 22 through which the bearing sleeve I5 is adapted topass.

'I'he pervious material 2li is impregnated with a lubricating fluid which is supplied thereto through a port 30 in the upper portion of the casing I6. As shown in phantom lines in Figure 2 the port 3B may be plugged by astoppern after filling so as to prevent impurities .from gettin'g into the fluid. After the iiuid has nlled the grooves '28,

leakage of air along the bearing sleeve I5 through the bore 22. At the same'time, the fluid serves to lubrica' the sleeve on the I reciprocating movement is relatively free from friction.

From Figures l and 2 of the drawing, it may be seen that thewiper M is positioned in the'casing .IB to prevent fluid from leaking into the pressurized -side of the wall II. Furthermore it may be seen that as the control is moved to the right gland the sleeve I5 of the fluid fromV the pervious malubricates and deposits fluid control accumulates terial 20 so that it in the grooves 28 of the thickened portion ofthe gasket is tapered and is relatively thin at its inner end so that its vresiliency causs an elastic wiping action responsive to. pressure in the cabin to be exerted at 26 upon the sleeve I the fluid, prevents air passing through the sealing gland. When the sleeve I5 is drawn Yto the left, the fluid which adheres to the sleeve will be drawn along therewith and returned in part to it may heV seen that there is a constant movement of fluid during the lreciprocation ofthe control.

It may readily be seen that for efncient operation of the sealing gland the control must present a .perfectly smooth surface to the bore of the sealing gland and must maintain a proper sealing it bears against the pervious material andthe thickened portion of the gasket` in reciprocation.

It is general practice to use cables for controls and in order to pro-.ids a smooth surface throughout the full length of cable passing through a sealing gland it has been the practice to cut the cable, inserta piece of rod and then swage the cable to the ends thereof. The cutting of the cable as'arulcisnot desirableainceitaddstwo .mechanical 'Joints subjectto failure. Therefore.

in order to obtain the smooth surface desired with aonepiece cable,wepassasmoothmet al sleeve fabrication is complete, to which reciprocates swagedin place so as face of sufficient length to remain within-*tho sealing gland-throughout the fullmovementof the'gasket Il. The bore in 5 swaged on the control cahle. This action, coupled with the sealing action of differential between the pressure it cooperates therewith to prevent control so that its i wallandhavingaloosent v. said enclosed space while permitting aaaoaa We claim: 1. A radially eldable sealing structure for passage of control elean enclosed space sliPertmOSPheli. Pressure. prising: a casing'having an opening at one side; a gasket of flexible material positioned between saidopensideofthecasingandawallofsaid enclosed space having an aperture therein, said gasket having a thickened portion provided with abore alignedwithsaidapertureinthewall, and projecting into said casing, annular corrugations being provided inthe-wall of scrape off and retain lubricant, the cormgations engagedgwith the surface of the con. trol element increasing with increase of presure lin the enclosed space and the ambient pressure; means for securing said casing and gasket to said wall around the aperture therein, the wall of said casing being provided with an aperture opposite in the wall of the enclosed space; a wiper element inside of the apertured wall y an opening aligned with said apertura a control cable having a cylindrical sleeve swaged thereto extending from the enclosed space through said sealing structure and in the apertures in the wall of said casing and said wall of the enclosed space, but having a close sliding fit in the opening in said wiper gasket; deformable packed in the vacant a lubricant receiving said lubricant retaining material. the seal con- .struction acting to prevent loss of pressure from longitudinall movement of the element and radial play necessary to permit proper functioning of the element.`

-40 2. A radially yieidabie sealing ystumme for said open side of apertures provided for the passage of control elements through maintained at superatmospheric pressure, comg: a casing having an a gasket of flexible material positioned between closed space having an aperture therein. said gassure dinerential between the pressure ket having a thickened portion provided with a. bore alignedwith said aperture-in the wall, and projecting into said casing and tapering in cross section toward the free end, annular corrugations being provided in the wall of the bore acting to scrape of! and retain lubricant, the number o f corrugations engaged with the surfacespf the mntrol element increasing with the increase of presin the enambient' pressure;

and gasket to 'said wail the wall of said casclosed space and the forsecuring said casing around the aperture therein,

ing being provided with an aperture oppomte said in the wall of the enclosedqiace; awiper aperture element arranged against the inside of the aperturedwallofthecasinghavinganopeningaligned withsaid aperture; a smooth-surfaced elementx-l sealing structure and wall and having a loose t intheaperturesinthewallofsaidcasingand in said wiper element andintheboreofsaidgasket: andmeansforiuelement between said wiperand saidthickenedportionoithe acting to prevent loss ofwelsure from saidcnclosed space while permitting longitudinal movement of and rasaid aperture element and in the bore of said the walls ofv an lenclosed space C opening at one sidez.

the casing and awall of .validenspacabuthavingaclsf said casing and provided with a bore aligned with ranged` between the casing and the wall of said dial play necessary'to permit proper functioning apertures provided for the passage of control eleof the element. ments through the wall oi' an enclosed space main- 3. A radially yleldable sealing structure for tained at a pressure above the ambient pressure,

opening; a. gasket of flexible material positioned means for holding the casing and gasket in prespressure tight seal therearound. said gasket havthe casing and the opening in thewall of the en- Cant, the number of corrugations engaged with sure differential of the air within and outside said the surface of the control element increasing with enclosed space; a, wiper arranged against the inthe increase of pressure differential between the ner side of .the apertured wall of the casing, said pressure in the enclosed space and the ambient wiper being formed as a member having an open- Pressure: a Wiper element arranged against the ing therein aligned with the aperture in said casinside of the apertured wall of the` casing having ing wall; and means arranged within the casing an opening aligned with said aperture; a smooth for lubricating the surface of said control, the surfaced element extending from the enclosed smooth surfaced `element moving freely through spacethroughv said sealing structure and wall and the apertures in the casing and the opening in having a loose nt in the apertures in the wall of the `weil of the enclosed space but having a close said casing and said wall of the' enclosed space, 30 sliding fit through the opening in the wiper and but having a. close .sliding fit in the opening in the bore of the sleeve.

said Wiper element and in the bore of said gasket; 6. A radial yieldable sealing structure as set and means for maintaining lubricant in said casforth in claim 5 and in addition comprising: a

seal construction actin-g t0 prevent loss of pres- 35 of the bore in the deformable sleeve from outer play necessary to permit proper functioning of the retained lubricant serving to maintain a nlm the element. of lubricant on said control surface in said bore. 4- A radially yield-ble Sealing Structure fOr 40 7. Aradially yieldable sealing structure for conapertures provided for the passage of control eletrol elements passing through a, wen of en en.L ments through the walls of an enclosed space closed space maintained at a pressure highex than maintained at superatmospheric pressure, 00inthat outside said enclosed space. comprising: a prising: a casing having an opening at one side; casing having an opening in a wall thereof spaced a gasket of flexible material positioned between 1mm a wel] of said space having an opening said Open side of the casing and a wall of Said entherein for the passage of a control element, the closed space having an aperture therein, said gascasing having en open side surrounding the openket having a.' thickened. portion projecting into ing in .said wall: a gasket of flexible material arsaid aperture in the wall, said bore adjacent its space and forming a pressure tight seal between inner end closely'iltting said control element at the wan and said casing mund seid opening'nnd all .times but progressively contacting said control having a, sleeve arranged coaxially with the openelement with increase in pressure differential be- A ing in said casing and wall opening,.and extendtween that in the enclosed space 8nd the mbieht 111g inta md casing: means for securing the gagpressure means for securing said casing and ing and gasket to said wall surrounding theopengasket to saidwall around the aperture therein, a ing therein; means acting to bring lubricant into the wall of said -casing being provided with an contact with .fthe entire surface of the control eleaperture opposite said aperture in the Wall 0f the ment between the inward end of said sleeve and enclosed mace: a wiper element arranged winst the opposite wail of the casing, the control elethe inside of the apertured wall of the casing havment passing freely through the openings in 1d ing an opening aligned with Said @'Perture a casing and said wall but having a close sliding ilt, smooth surfaced element extending from the ena through said wiper and the bore of said s1eeve closed space through said sealing structure and e 3 A sealing structure forvanopening formed in lwall and having a loose llt in the apertures in the the mul of an enclosed space maintained t su- Wall 0f Said Casing 3nd 5&1d Wall 0f the enclosed 65 pelgtmpheric pressure mpriging; casing space, but having a close sliding nt in the Openopen at one side and having an aperture formed m3 m id Wiper element and in the bre,f Sad in awall opposite to said open side; a gasket of gasket; and meansfor lubricating said element v flexible material; a conoidal member integral with .between Said Wiper and Saidthickened Portion 0f said gasket and laterally projecting from a surthe flexible diaphragm, the Beal Construction actface thereof, said member being formed with a ing to prevent'loss of pressure from said enclosed bore therethrough progressively decreasing in dispace while permitting longitudinal mOVement 0f ameter foward the free end thereof; means for said element and radial play necessary to permit mounting said casing to the inner surface' of the proper functioning of the element. y wall of said enclosed space with 'an aperture thenc- 5.' A radially yieldable sealing structure for 7s in in alignment with the opening of said wall and 4- .andere withthegasketclempedbctweenthecasingand pressure,eomprislng:asasinghavinganopen the wall to seal the joint therebetween. said coning at one side and an aperture aligned with said idai member projecting into said casing and beopeningsformed in the wall of the casing opposite disposed relative to the same that the bore said opening; an unitary gasket of ilexible mais in t with tbe aperture in the s terial positioned between said open side of the therein wall of saidt casing: a wiper element arranged casing and the inner'surface of' a wall of said against the inner side oi' the apertured wall of enclosed space and having an aperture ther-elm' the easing and having an opening in alignment meansfor securing said casing and gasket in with said aperture; an elongate smooth surfaced pressure tight relation to the inner surface of said control element mounted for reciprocal movement l0 wall around the aperture therein; a laterally proand from the enclosed space through iecting portion of the inner surface of said gassaid sealing structure and having a loose sliding ket formed with a bore progressively decreasing in in the aperture in the wall of said casing and diameter toward the free end thereof', said bore the opening formed in thewall of the enbeing alignedwithsaid aperture in the wall; an-` 'said conoidal mem deiormablelubricant recorrugations engagedwith the surface o! the conthe surface of said element between diilerential between the pressure in the enclosed thc inner end of the conoidal member and said 20' space and the ambient pressure; a wiper element wiper element, said casing having a lubricating arranged against the inside of the apertured wall receiving opening communicating with said lubriof the easing and having an opening alignedwith Y eating retaining material; and annular corrugasaid aperture; a smooth surfaced element extendtions Ionned in the wall oi' the bore of s aid coning from the enclosed space through said sealing oidal member forA removing lubricant from the u 'structure and wall and having a loose nt in the surface of said control element as the same is reaperture andopening in the wal1 of said casing and ciprocally-moved relative to the wail of said enin the aperture in said wall of the enclosed space, closed giace and for retaining the lubricant rebut having a close sliding iit in the opening in moved, the supe -atmospheric pressure within said wiper element and in the bore of said gasket:

said space causing the conoidai member to be 30 deformable lubricant ,retaining material packed number of corrugations engaged with the surface 'with the smooth surfaced .element between the 0f the 'control element inren8in8 es the difiereninner end of the thickened portion offlsaid gasket tial between the pressure lin the enclosed space and and said wiper element; and a lubricant receiving the ambient pressureincreases. 3s port communicating with said lubricant retaining 9. In an airplane .a radially yleldable Sealing material; and closure means `for said lubricant structure for an aperture provided for the pe receiving means. of acontrol element through the wall of an en- BRUCE E.' DEL MAR. .closed space maintained at super-atmospheric EDWARD E. VAN DYKE.

closcd'space, but having a close sliding -ilt in the is nular corrugations in the wall of thebore acting. inthe wiper element and in the bore of to scrape ol! andretain lubricant, the number of f A taining material completely iilling said casing and trol element increasing with increase of pressure compressed about the control element, and the in the vacantspaces of said casing, in contact 

